[Editorial] Welcome to the Invention Age: How Samsung’s Democratizing 5G

Here at Samsung Electronics, we believe in innovating to defy barriers. When it comes to our mobile devices, we offer consumers uninterrupted experiences that unlock their potential, improve their lives, and flow seamlessly and continuously wherever they go.

Over the last ten years, this constant drive to remove barriers has helped us enrich the Galaxy line with one forward-thinking innovation after another. But delivering a truly seamless mobile experience requires more than just cutting-edge devices. It also requires a next-generation network that’s capable of connecting those devices in ways that streamline users’ daily lives. Which is why, since establishing the Galaxy line a decade ago, Samsung has been at the forefront of the development of next-generation technologies that will make such connections seamless and ubiquitous.

Samsung’s development of an end-to-end 5G solution – spanning chipsets, network infrastructure and mobile devices – has created the perfect environment for rapid innovation and change. Together with our partners, we’ve managed to make 5G available faster than anyone thought possible. And recently, we introduced devices that allow users to take full advantage of 5G’s breakthrough speeds, and in doing so, we’ve brought the power of connected living to life.

In April, we launched our first 5G smartphone, the Galaxy S10 5G. Since then, we’ve widened our 5G smartphone portfolio with the unveiling of the Galaxy Note10 5G, the Galaxy Note10+ 5G and, most recently, the Galaxy A90 5G and the Galaxy Fold 5G. Today, more than two million consumers around the world can connect to 5G networks using Samsung smartphones. And we expect that number to more than double by the end of the year.

Going forward, we’ll continue to work with partners to run tests and build infrastructure to launch 5G networks in more global markets. Expanding 5G will take a lot of hard work, but I’m pleased to report that we’re making meaningful strides every day. Last month, a 5G user test in Moscow utilizing a pre-commercial Galaxy S10 5G was deemed successful when impressive data transfer rates of up to 2.1 gigabits per second were recorded. We are proud that Samsung 5G smartphones are being used to help expand 5G’s implementation, and hope to see our devices everywhere 5G networks are, as we move toward a world in which smartphones will serve as gateways to the next generation of 5G-driven experiences.

By harnessing the power of 5G and AI, we’re pioneering experiences that are more immersive, personalized and intelligent. We are committed to working with partners to expand the 5G ecosystem even further and continue bringing ultra-fast connectivity to more parts of the world.

Creating that world will require open collaboration with partners who believe, as we do, in innovation without limits. Here, at the beginning of the 5G era, we are leading the industry forward with a growing portfolio of 5G-enabled products that combine the advanced features and sleek designs that Galaxy devices are known for with heretofore unprecedented speeds and connectivity.

What will 5G’s democratization mean for users? For a start, it will revolutionize how we consume our favorite entertainment. With minimum latency and maximum reliability, 5G will offer a completely new viewing experience – one that’s richer, more personalized, and much more interactive. When enjoying digital content, users will be able to choose specific viewing angles, replay specific moments, and even catch details that they may have missed.

But it’s when we discuss 5G’s wider applications that things get really interesting. Ultimately, 5G will pave the way for things like safe autonomous vehicles, ultra-productive smart factories, and precise robotic surgeons. Not only that, it will change how people interact with the world around them by placing them in the middle of digital spaces built on augmented and mixed reality. And it will generate the data necessary to create efficient and sustainable smart homes, smart offices, and smart cities.

Just as smartphones introduced new services that we now depend on every day, so too will 5G, on an even larger scale. Not only will 5G enhance the smartphone experience, it will also empower innovators to create new connected and intelligent products that will lead to richer consumer experiences and fuel entirely new industries. In effect, the democratization of 5G will usher us into the next major era – a time free of barriers to innovation that we like to call the Invention Age.

To reach that new era, we’ll need to think beyond smartphone features. Together, we will have to adopt an approach to 5G that will fuel invention and transform our industries and communities for decades to come. Through open collaboration, we’ll maximize opportunities for invention, and help create a future filled with meaningful progress and change.

The 5G era is officially upon us, and we at Samsung Electronics couldn’t be more excited for the possibilities it presents.